


The Glorious Society of Misfits

by Lokissiren



Series: Original works [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, High School, I have no idea how to tag my own work, I'll explain more in the summary, M/M, Magic, Modern Fantasy, Multi, No underage, Witches, all 18+, its magic highschool guys, there will be smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-03
Updated: 2020-02-20
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:34:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 19,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22535551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lokissiren/pseuds/Lokissiren
Summary: This is an original work that I have been working on for a while. Basic premis is shadow underworld of magical bloodlines. This story will follow some of the students at Sherwood Academy a prepatory school for the magical. Ages vary, but most are above the age of 16 (this is the age of concent in several countries and relationships are of same age people, I don't do big age gaps). Progession of students towards graduation is based on the classes taken due to the varying ages students arrive as. I'm trying to explain a lot about the premis but I hope you enjoy it.The story begins with Lydia, a new student to Sherwood with no previous knowledge of magic or her own necromatic powers.I own all the characters.
Series: Original works [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1621462
Kudos: 1





	1. Sherwood Academy

Lydia had always thought herself rather ordinary, with the exception of being an orphan, but her recent discovery about herself made her question what she knew. As she sat in the dark SUV, she reflected on everything that had happened. She had taken a life, unintentionally, but she had done it. She hadn’t meant to she had only tried to get the guy off the poor girl. She didn’t know she could do that, suck the life out of a person like that. She looked down at her hands, they looked the same as they always did, pale and small. They matched the rest of her, she was always the smallest she was only barely five foot two. She supposed the only thing that stood out about her was her bright red hair and blue eyes. She glanced around the SUV, it was nerve wracking. All the stern men in the car had dark hair and dark sunglasses and wore suits. There were two of them in the front seat and two behind her in the back seat, but they had left her alone in the middle bench seat. The windows were scary dark, she could only see the faint shadows of trees through them. She had contemplated jumping out of the car a couple of times, but she had glimpsed their guns and knives when one of them reached into the center console earlier. She didn’t fancy being shot so she stayed where she was.

They had told her not to be afraid when they showed up at the foster home. They sat with her in an empty room and explained how she had done what she had. She didn’t believe them at first, magic wasn’t real, but then they showed her how they could cast spells. She was a necromancer, that’s what they had said, she could bring people back to life and in rare cases drain life away. They told her she was lucky some necromancers discovered their powers in much worse ways. Somehow she didn’t feel lucky, she couldn’t imagine a much worse way than killing someone. They said they would take her to a place with other people like her where she could learn to master her powers.

She supposed they could be lying, that’s why she was so nervous. She had packed her things that night like they asked and the next morning three black SUVs with dark windows pulled up to foster home. Three dark men had stepped out and one took her things as the others ushered her into the middle car. Now six hours later she was still sitting here in the dead quiet car as they pulled up to the gate of a large stone wall of what looked like a compound. She sighed, they had lied, she was being arrested. She stared at her lap as the driver pushed a button on the steering wheel speaking coldly, “We’re here with Miss Hines.”

“Stand by for checks,” a voice replied through the radio. It was quiet for several minutes before the gate opened and the voice replied, “You’re clear, welcome back John, no troubles on the trip?”

He pressed the button again, “Not at all, a nice quiet ride. I’ll come see you in a bit.”

Lydia stayed silent in the back seat as they pulled through and into what looked like another forest. She had to admit it wasn’t what she expected but still she was a bit disappointed she wasn’t going to some Hogwarts like school. Maybe it was a mental institute, which would explain why she had believed the bit about magic. However they quickly emerged from the trees and she could see a clustering of old buildings that looked like they were from the turn of the century or older. They pulled to a stop and the driver got out with the others and opened the door for her offering a hand to help her out. She avoided his touch climbing out and jumped as he tried to touch her arm gently to guide her toward an older woman waiting for them. She must have been in her mid-forties by Lydia’s estimate, but she was more scared of accidentally doing what she had the other night when she touched someone. The man who had driven her, John, respected she was still uncertain and stood respectably back as she stepped forward toward the woman shyly.   
She was a stern woman her pale blonde hair pulled up in a tight bun and her brown eyes pierced Lydia as she shuffled her feet. She was dressed in a respectable black dress suit and stood with perfect posture. After a moment she opened her arms warmly smiling, “Miss Hines, it is a pleasure to finally have you with us.” She continued when Lydia didn’t step into her hug, “Welcome to Sherwood Academy, I understand you recruitment came at a bit of a shock, I’m sorry for that, we generally try to be a bit more gentle but this was a unique case.”

She started to lead the way up some steps to a big brick building and Lydia followed, “They said it happens all the time…”

“Yes,” she nodded, “I’m afraid they always say that, recruiters find it puts a student at ease and more willing to come here. Now, I am Madam Fowler, I’m the principal here at Sherwood. John drove you here, he’s one of our security officers.”

“Security?” Lydia hesitated feeling a little lost.

“Yes,” Madam Fowler replied, “There are a lot of people who would like to come after some of our students. I hope you can forgive the security when we came to get you, it’s a very complicated matter admitting a new student.”

“I don’t understand,” she replied.

Madam Fowler smiled as they stepped inside, “I know which is why I asked Ms. Carter to come and be your ambassador. She’s a Necromancer like you; she’ll be the president of your class. She has a talent for explaining things better. Lexi…”   
A young girl a year or two older than Lydia bounded forward; she had a beautiful bombshell body and bright green eyes. Her short brown hair was styled in a pretty pixie cut and she had a welcoming smile. She beamed reaching out and taking Lydia’s hand, “You must be Lydia, we’re so excited to have you, it’s not often we get another Necromancer at Sherwood. Here, c’mon this way, I’ll show you to the dorm.”

Lydia hesitated and Madam Fowler nodded encouragingly. Lydia took a deep breath following trying to pull her hand free of Lexi’s shyly. Lexi laughed, “Don’t worry hon, Necromancers are immune to each other’s magic. It’s a blessing and a curse, when we die, we’re gone.”

“So this is really a school,” Lydia smiled as they passed groups of students talking to one another.

“Course,” she giggled, “I know disorienting, trust me you’ll get the hang of it…”

A group of guys whistled calling, “Lexi! Who’s your new friend…”

She shouted back winking playfully, “This one’s all mine boys…” She turned back to Lydia, “Ignore them they don’t get a fresh face around very often. Where was I? Oh, yeah, it’s not that hard to get around, most of the guys are nice, shadowcasters are usually dick heads but … yeah… You don’t know anything about any of this do you?”

Lydia shook her head, “Even the Necromancer thing is new to me.”

“Wow,” she smiled giddily, “No one has ever done that before on their first try, I didn’t even know you could do that without like a ton of training.”

“Huh?”

“Well, theoretically we can,” she rushed trying to make Lydia feel better, “I just haven’t heard of it happening like that.”

“Does everyone know?” she swallowed the thought hanging over her like a storm cloud.

“It’s high school, hon,” Lexi sighed sympathetically, “So, yeah, rumors spread like an STD… but don’t take it the wrong way, we’re all just impressed and shocked, you’re different…”

“So even in the world of magic I’m a freak,” she joked.

“Just different, different is good,” Lexi smiled stopping outside a Victorian style house. It was a dusty blue and had a porch that stretched all the way around the house. It stood three stories tall and all the shutters were hanging on by a single hinge. Lexi sighed looking at it too as if she was evaluating a dress on a rack, “I know, we keep meaning to fix those but it just never gets done. Welcome to Renbeck Hall, home to the Necromancer class, or as we all like to call it, the Deathtrap.”

“Deathtrap?” Lydia laughed as they climbed the steps.

“It’s an old building, and not everything is in… even good condition,” Lexi laughed opening the door, “But it works for us…”

“What do you mean?” 

“Necromancers are death resistant,” she explained leading Lydia into the living room, “We can die, and when we do it’s for good. But it takes a lot to kill us… I’ve read about a girl that was shot four times in the chest with magic bullets and was still walking around.”

“You talking about Becky again?” a brunette girl asked looking up from a magazine as she lay on the couch, “When will you shut up about that? This the new girl?”

“Lydia,” she smiled introducing herself.

“Carmen,” she smiled going back to her magazine.

“Where is everyone?” Lexi asked looking around.

Carmen sighed looking over the top of the magazine, “Boys, upstairs, Nessi and Val are at the track, Elli and Nick are in fire class at the moment, I haven’t seen anyone else today… I’m sure they’re somewhere…” Lexi frowned at her, “What I’m not their keeper?”

“They let Elli and Nick, the pyros, into fire class?” Lexi stared shaking her head, “Remind me to keep more fire extinguishers around. Will you call everyone down?”

Carmen rolled her eyes loudly whistling a short three note tune, as Lexi rolled her eyes offering Lydia a seat on the couch. Lydia took a seat wringing her hands in her lap as two boys came trampling down the stairs. Both were tall and had dark hair, even Lexi had to admit they were admirably athletic, and under certain circumstances she might switch teams for them. Tony crossed his arms setting his steal eyes on Lydia asking, “This the new girl?”

“Course it is,” Mike laughed sitting next to her on the couch, “My my my, we are lucky you’re one of us.”

“Dial back the charm idiot,” Lexi shook her head.

“You know I’m always yours sweetums,” he winked at her. Lydia remained fixated on her lap. Mike frowned at her taking her hands and rubbing his thumb over her   
fingers, “Relax love. Everything’s okay. Don’t worry about anything…”

“Sup short stuff,” A bubbly blond girl grinned bounding in and sitting cross legged on the floor in front of her.

“Hey Mel,” Mike winked at her, “Looking fine today.”

“Shut up you flirt,” she smirked back, “How are you feeling shortie?”

“I… I don’t know,” Lydia muttered as a slender girl with jet black hair leaned on the door looking her up and down.

“Well,” Lexi sighed, “I’ll introduce you to the others later but this is Tony, Mellany, Mike is the one hanging on your hands there…”

“What lovely hands they are,” he grinned kissing them playfully.

Lexi rolled her eyes continuing, “We’re all necromancers, so you’ll see some of us in your classes.”

Lydia stared around the room at the gathering lost. Mel sighed, “No one explained much did they sweetheart.”

Lydia shook her head as Tony asked, “Not even your parents? No one told you anything?”

“I lived in a foster home,” She muttered staring at the floor, “The people who came to get me didn’t really explain…”

“Necromancers are powerful,” Mike nodded reassuringly, “A lot of our parents are targeted. Most of us don’t have two parents…”

“I have a stepmother, thank you very much,” Lexi called over his shoulder, “And she is lovely.”

“Still, the point I was making,” he began.

“My mom isn’t dead,” Lydia swallowed staring at the floor letting them make their own assumptions.

“Not a problem,” Mel smiled trying to improve the mood of the room, “Necromancers have a unique magic. We can tap into people's life essence and either heal or get rid of it. That kind of power makes us good healers…”

“Or assassins,” Tony scoffed.

“Not the direction I was going, Tony,” Mel rolled her eyes, “Anyway, it’s some pretty cool stuff. We can cast normal spells but we’re pretty unique so a lot of people would rather be on our good side than our bad side. Not that anyone is going to want to mess with you, I mean…”

“Mel,” Lexi warned.

“Right sorry,” she grinned.

Lydia swallowed shaking off the weirdness of everything that had been thrown her way the last few days and nodded, “It's fine. I figured it was pretty abnormal, well as abnormal as already pretty weird can be. So there’s other kinds of magic? Are there ummm…”

“Monsters,” Mike snickered putting on a spooky voice, “’Course. You got your Werewolves, your Fey, your Vampires, your Demi-gods…”

“Want to slow it down there,” Lexi chuckled, “I’ll show you around later, you’ll get everything you need to know from the pamphlet upstairs.”

“Is there some kind of orientation or something I need to go to,” Lydia asked, “you know fancy prep school rules and what not.”

“Not your first prep, eh,” Melany laughed.

“Catholic school for two years,” She smiled, “One of my foster mothers was a bit of a nutter… everything alright.”

Everyone quickly wiped away the concerned look and Lexi smiled, “Its nothin’, you probably won’t find many Catholics here, what with… ya’ know magic. Orientation is a bit difficult as we don’t usually know when students will be arriving”

“No worries,” Lydia laughed dismissing their thoughts, “It never took. So we just get the run of this whole house? No dorm rooms or anything?”

“Some dorm halls are bigger than others, it depends on how many students there have for each class,” Mike explained.

“And how much money is directed at them,” Tony scoffed.

“That too,” Mike nodded, “The biggest halls are Daffton, Highwood and Talrow. Highwood belongs to the demi-gods so figure they get the best stuff. Talrow and Daffton are for the shadowcasters and vamps, but they’ve got princes here so…”

“Princes?” Lydia raised an eyebrow.

Lexi chuckled, “People round here are pretty traditional. Society hasn’t changed much since the middle ages, except the fashion, thank god. Most of the different branches of magic still rely on kings and queens. I think we should take a break for a moment though. C’mon, I’ll show you your room. Catch you all later.”

Lydia smiled following Lexi up stairs, “Nice to meet you all.”

The stairs were narrow and seemed to stretch up far higher than the building actually was. They seemed sturdy despite what the house looked like on the outside. That was until she almost tripped over a long hall rug as she turned to go up to the third floor and Lexi caught her muttering, “Sorry about that. That rug takes a while to get used to people. I try to keep it out of the way but the damned thing has a mind of its own, better keep an eye on him. Behave, you or I swear I will burn you!” Lydia smiled continuing up the inside of the old house peering down the hallways at the rows of rooms. Finally, they reached the top floor and Lexi sighed with a huff, “Well, here we are. Sorry about being on the top floor but this house is weird about where it likes to tack on rooms.” She extended a key to Lydia, “After you.”

“Thanks,” she grinned opening the door. The room was slanted on one side from the roof and the walls were a strange color that wasn’t quite a muted purple nor was it a faded lilac. One of the walls had been covered in a psychedelic flowered wallpaper but someone had tried to take it down and had torn a diagonal stripe down it. There was a plain looking bed with an electric blue sheet and neon green comforter. An old roll top desk sat in the far corner of the room with a chair that looked like it belonged in some 40’s detective movie.

Lexi shook her head, “I don’t know what’s wrong with this place. It makes the weirdest rooms. Next time we can go into town we’ll get some paint and fix this place up.”

“It’s alright,” Lydia shrugged looking around the room, “I mean the person before me put up with it.”

Lexi laughed strolling around the room, “Kid this place didn’t exist a week ago. When the school finds out we’re getting a new student and which classification they are they give the dorm a little magical nudge and the house puts up a new room. And this place has weird taste. I got mustard yellow when I moved in. But we can fix this thing up later.”

“I actually kind of like it,” Lydia smiled looking around.

“Well how kind of you to actually bring her stuff,” Lexi huffed and Lydia turned around to see she was speaking to the room as her suitcase appeared in the center of the room, “I swear, this place. I’ll let you get situated. Let us know if you need anything.”

Lydia sighed looking around at her new home. It may have odd colors but it was the first room she’d had to herself and it felt good. Even if people here were a bit different, she liked different and everyone seemed nice so far. She sat down at the desk picking up a small booklet with the name of the school emblazoned on the front of it. She began flipping through it trying to wrap her head around everything but quickly gave up and began exploring the room. After a few strolls she sighed, “It’s a nice room, thank you.” If everyone else talked to the house why shouldn’t she, “I’ve never had a room to myself, you know. I like it, it’s got character.”  
There was a creak that sounded rather pleased and she fell back onto the mattress sighing, “I’m glad you’re happy, or at least that’s what I’m going to take that as. Do you know anywhere good to eat?”

It was quiet and she sighed, “What am I thinking, you’re a house, you don’t eat.”

There was a flutter from the desk and she looked up to find the pamphlet open to the page about accommodation and commissaries. She grinned getting up and tearing the campus map from the book, “Thank you!”

She made her way down the stairs tripping on the rug once again but making it down in one piece. She could hear voices from the back of the house but decided she wanted to explore a bit on her own. She left the hall and checked her map before starting across campus. Some of the buildings looked newer some looked positively ancient. After about twenty minutes of wandering around she decided she was completely lost. None of the buildings had names and the map really didn’t do them justice. She paused next to a fountain frowning down at the map trying to riddle out where she was. After a moment a casual voice chuckled, “Lost, new girl?”


	2. lunch date

“Just a bit,” she scoffed looking up to find a tall looking boy her age. He had slivery blond stylishly spiked hair with bright streaks of pink in it and cunning sliver eyes. He looked like a normal kid in his Captain America t shirt and a leather jacket. She smiled dragging her eyes back to the map, “Lydia.”

“Lucas,” he shrugged looking over her shoulder, “You know that map works better if you leave it in the book. Then it shows you where you are.”

She sighed, “I didn’t think of that. I guess I’m still new to the magic thing…”

“You’ll find your feet eventually,” he smiled, “Where you trying to get?”

“Cafeteria.”

“Ooo, I could go for a bite,” he grinned nodding for her to follow, “I’ll show you.” She walked with him as he opened a door into one of the buildings. Lucas looked the little red head up and down smiling, “Family not around much?”

“What?”

“You know, out working and what not,” he replied, “You got busy parents? They didn’t talk much about magic, did they? Mine at least told me but I get a lot of kids like you, never heard of magic before they learn about their powers.”

“Nice to know I’m not the only one,” she sighed, “Everyone seems to already know who I am. I don’t even know anything about magic and they know all about me.”

“It’s jut gossip,” he laughed shaking his head, “Vamps are the worst for it. Heightened hearing, they catch nearly anything they want. I think one of them heard the nurse talking about it and whoosh. They act like they don’t care about humans but the second there’s a rumor they are on it.”

“Good to know there is no illusion of privacy here,” Lydia laughed as they reached a large hall with several buffet counters, “So what’s with the big fence outside.”

“Royalty,” he scoffed as they moved along the counter, “Couple of princes came to school here a few years ago so security got hyped up to no end. Well, there’s that aaannd the fact that there are a number of cults in the world that would love to kill everyone here.”

“Lovely,” She rolled her eyes as they sat down and started eating.

“Well you know,” he chuckled taking a bite of his lasagna, “So necro, like what you see so far?”

“School seems alright,” Lydia admitted, “Haven’t met anyone aside from you and the necromancers so there’s still time for me to hate everything. What are you? Sorry that sounded weird. Do people ask that? I must sound really stupid…”

“No,” he laughed as they ate, “you just sound new. You’ll learn to pick up on how to sense what people are. I’m a shadowcaster…” he saw her question in her face and continued, “Dark magic.”

“What like summoning demons and mind control and what not,” she laughed.

“No,” he laughed, “I wouldn’t touch a demon with a ten foot pole, those things are dangerous…”

“Miss Hines?”

“Mhmm,” Lydia replied looking up at the smartly dressed girl.

“I’m from Mrs. Fowler’s office, she’d like to speak with you,” the girl replied giving a short nod to Lucas, “Good afternoon your grace.”

Lydia raised an eyebrow at him as he smiled sending a hand through his hair as he scoffed, “What you’ve been here what a few hours and you’re already gotta go to the headmaster? Whooo kid…”

“Oh,” Lydia scoffed eyeing him, “That’s not the most interesting she said. Wouldn’t you say, your grace…”

“Miss Hines?”

“Coming,” Lydia nodded getting up, “See ya’ round princey.”

Lucas smiled after her, she was something different. He’d had political classes that taught him this friendship wasn't a wise choice but if he was being honest, she was new and different and it got him curious. His father’s spies had brought him information about how she’d been identified, she was powerful, but looking her in the eye he could see she was lost in a new world. Lydia followed the girl out of the cafeteria and across a courtyard to the building she had first entered. They walked through a back door directly onto a lobby with a large spiral staircase leading up. The girl set a quick pace up the stairs and Lydia tried to keep up while keeping an eye on where they were going. She noticed they passed a couple of administrative floors before they reached what appeared to be the top floor though the balcony extended further than Lydia would have expected. She was woken from her studying the space by the girl knocking on the only door. Mrs. Fowler’s voice called, “Come in.”

The girl opened the door for Lydia but didn’t follow her in only closed the door behind her. Lydia shifted nervously, “You wanted to speak with me?”

“Lydia,” the woman smiled gesturing to a plush arm chair, “Have a seat my dear. How was your introduction to the other Necromancers? Lexi didn’t throw too much at you did she?”

“Um,” Lydia nodded taking a seat, “It’s all a bit much, if I’m honest. A few days ago none of this was real…”

“This has always been real,” Mrs. Fowler sighed as a tea set appeared on the desk before them startling Lydia, “Your eyes have just been opened to it. I know better than most it can be an adjustment to learn later in your young life about these gifts. You like herbal tea, don’t you? Is oolong to your liking?”

“um, yes, how did you know that?” Lydia stared.

“Gifts of a long life,” She smiled gently spooning some loose tea into a mesh strainer, “You will find your footing Lydia. I thought you might have some questions the young men and women in your class may have taken for granted. They have all grown up with at least one parent that knows about magic.”

“Why now…” Lydia mumbled watching the tea steep as the china cup floated into her lap, “I know they don’t think I was listening when they came to talk to me. They said these things can manifest later in life, why did mine manifest now?”

Mrs. Fowler sighed heavily, “I can only guess. Though, in your case it is a well-educated guess. Magic is unlike many talents, it isn’t passive like artistic talents. In some ways it has a mind of it’s own. In your case I would say, it is not uncommon for a witch’s magic to act on its own accord to protect its host in times of strife or distress. When that woman attacked you…”

“Why that way,” Lydia closed in on herself, “Why did I have to kill her?”

“You will learn about this Lydia,” Mrs. Fowler explained leaning back in her chair with her own cup of tea, “in your classes. But magic is neither good nor evil. It doesn’t know the difference. Your magic must have thought it was protecting you. I’m sorry it went so far when you were so inexperienced with it. Nevertheless, what you did was not wrong. You were in danger, would it have been any different if you had stabbed her with a pocket knife to defend yourself?”

“She wouldn’t have died,” she muttered.

“She could have,” She replied plainly, “one slip and an artery could have been hit and nothing would be different. You shouldn’t have to handle these kinds of feelings about taking a life at your age, I am sorry Lydia. However, I don’t want you to believe this is your fault. You did a good thing trying to help that girl. I noticed you were hesitant to let anyone touch you.”

“I don’t want hurt anyone like that,” Lydia sighed finally taking a sip of her tea easing as the warmth washed over her, “What if my magic thinks someone brushing past me in the hall is a threat? Or if a teacher yells at me and…”

“You have nothing to worry about Lydia,” Mrs. Fowler soothed gently, “The circumstances you’ve experienced are extreme. What you’re worried about are minor stressors. Even someone as inexperienced with magic as you are does not lose control at the slightest provocation. If you are still concerned you should talk with Lexi about some minor tutoring before your classes begin on Monday. Ms. Carter is the head of your class for a reason, she is exceptionally gifted and has worked with many new students from all backgrounds.”

“What are the classes like?” Lydia asked trying to wrap her head around everything.

“Well you will have classes you’re familiar with,” Mrs. Fowler smiled happy to see her not focusing on her fear, “Literature, language, mathematics, the science classes take a more theoretical function than perhaps you’re used to. Magic after all can be very scientific and exact. In addition, there are a number of classes for your extended gifts, some are suited to your specific magical designation, others are more open. We also support a number of elective courses and extracurricular activities. We can discuss your options now if you would like?”

“Well, I don’t really want to think about killing someone anymore,” Lydia sighed sipping her tea and sitting up straighter, “So how does this work? Is it like normal school registration?”

“In some ways,” She smiled laying out the paperwork for Lydia to look at explaining, “The school runs year round in four semester blocks, each block has a two week holiday. You will have certain compulsory classes each block as well as periods for elective classes. There are four slot required, however you can take elect to take more within reason. We are currently in the Ostara block, your required classes are here, Literature and Healing. You’re welcome to take some choice classes, I have a list of them here.”

Mrs. Fowler handed a piece of paper across the desk and Lydia studied it:

Projective charms and curses (prerequisite: Ethics)  
Projective wards and sigils  
Magical crafting  
Herbalism  
Alchemy  
Mental Manipulation (prerequisite: Ethics)  
Dimensional manipulation (4th years only)  
Divination  
Spell writing and grimoire crafting  
Zoology  
Ritual magic  
Self-defence  
Meditation and astral projection   
Technomancy  
Pyromancy and Aquamancy  
Geomancy and natural magic  
Politics  
Invocation and classifications of spirits  
Language  
Latin  
Greek  
Theban  
Runes

“You offer languages? Politics? Self-defense?” Lydia breathed surprised, “Those seem so mundane for a magical school.”

“Our students will reenter the human world,” Mrs. Fowler acknowledged, “When they do they must meet basic standards, our curriculum reflects that. Do you have an idea of what you would like to take? Or would you like to think on it?”

“I think I’d like to go pretty mild, this is all really jarring,” Lydia hesitated, “Can I just do, I don’t know, Latin and meditation?”

“I think those are excellent choices,” Mrs. Fowler affirmed with a smile, “You’ll meet a good blend of students and hopefully make good friends. That being settled there are a few more formalities to settle, one of which is your course book list, which I have here.” She handed Lydia a sheet of paper and put a packet on the desk between them. She was quiet for a moment as Lydia took the paper but stared at the formal looking packet of papers. She sighed calmly nodding, “Another matter is your status as a foster child and ward of the state.”

Lydia stared at her lap chewing on her tongue, “Oh, is that an issue for the school?”

“No, not at all,” Mrs. Fowler explained, “You will become a ward of the school until you reach maturity and complete your schooling. However, as you are seventeen, the state requires your choice be taken into consideration when it comes to what is essentially adoption. There is some paperwork to sign.”

“What happens to me when I sign?”

“Nothing,” She smiled warmly oddly putting her at ease, “The school as an administrative body will become your foster parent, for all intents and purposes. Everything will be taken care of in regards to your food, housing, education, health, all things the school provides to its students. Disciplinarily, should you find yourself in enough trouble that a parent would need notifying, the administrative body would defer to myself and prompt a discussion.”

“What if I don’t want to sign?”

“There will be a number of exams and meetings to go with the process of emancipating you as a minor,” Mrs. Fowler sighed, “The choice is yours. Becoming a ward of the school is just the shorter simpler option. And without being a ward of the school you are answerable to the council as a citizen.”

“The council?”

“The governing body for supernatural beings,” She explained calmly. Lydia was uncomfortable with the situation, she didn’t like the idea of being considered an adult. However, she knew so little about this school. She fidgeted weighing the options in her head the ball of her thumb rolling over the joint of her wrist as her hands gripped one another in her lap. After a tense quiet moment Mrs. Fowler nodded, “You can wait to sign this for a couple days if you would rather get to know the school a bit better.”

“Um,” She swallowed, “I would like to wait on that…”

“Perfectly fine,” Mrs. Fowler smiled and ease washed over Lydia again causing her to let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. The older woman smiled nodding, “Now, one final matter I’d like to address… You’ve been through a lot quite recently, Lydia. I would like to set you up to speak with someone here. We have several councilors here but I think Adam would be best for you to speak with. Would you attend counseling with him?”

“If you think its necessary,” Lydia blinked taken aback.

“Relax, my dear,” She soothed, “I don’t think you are losing your mind. I just know you’ve had quite a lot revealed to you in none too pleasant ways. Having someone to talk to can do everyone some good.”

“Alright,” Lydia nodded returning to fidgeting with her hands.

“I’ll have Patricia take you down to his office today,” Mrs. Fowler nodded, “I think you will like things here Lydia. Being different can be difficult but here everyone is different, more so than they may let on. I have found something about being around like-minded people makes me feel at home. I hope you will find the same warmth here.”

“Thank you,” Lydia fidgeted as the door opened again.

The girl from earlier asked, “You asked for me, Mrs. Fowler?”

“Yes, can you take Miss Hines here down to Adam’s office, he should be expecting her,” Mrs. Fowler answered rising from her chair, “Anything else I can do for you at the moment Lydia?”

“Um,” she hesitated taking the torn page of her hand book out of her pocket sighing, “I didn’t know I wasn’t supposed to take the map out of the handbook… I kind of got lost looking for the cafeteria…”

“Of course,” She smiled taking the page, “It happens to many new students. I trust someone helped you there.”

“Yeah,” Lydia relaxed a little as the headmaster waved her hand over the page restoring magic to it, “His name was Lucas, said he was a shadow something. He showed me to the cafeteria…”

“Hm,” she acknowledged a smirk toying at the corner of her mouth as she handed it back to Lydia, “Lucas is a good young man, I’m sure you will see him in some of your classes.”


	3. The doctor

Mrs. Fowlers assistant led her out and down a couple of flights of stairs and down another hall before stopping and indicating a door, “Dr. Adam’s office.”  
Lydia stared at the door for a long moment. It was old, but everything seemed old, someone had taped a number of printed off webcomics to it around a sign that had a slider so it could read The Doctor is BUSY or it could read The Doctor is LONELY. Someone had added a crudely painted tardis to the corner of the sign as a joke. The slider had been flicked to lonely so Lydia knocked as the girl left. After a moment she knocked again testing the handle and finding it unlocked. She pressed it open a crack calling, “Hello? Dr. Adam? They said you might be expecting me…”  
There was a crash of books and a voice called, “Yes! Right. Miss Hines! Come in don’t be shy, sorry about the mess, my partner is expecting so I’ve been on call for every emergency.” Lydia sat down as she finally saw the man that owned the voice. He was about average in height and had a neatly trimmed beard but curly hair auburn hair wisped around his forehead. There was just something about him that put her at ease even though he offered an uncertain and awkward grin as he flopped into his desk chair sighing in a pleasant british accent, “Well, how are you? Just transferred right? Got settled?”  
“For the most part,” Lydia shrugged still uncertain about talking to a therapist, “Everyone seems to be walking on eggshells around me… I guess Mrs. Fowler wanted me to talk to you about…”  
“Pssshhhh,” he scoffed tilting back a little as his neck folded in on itself for half a second, “Fowler can want you to do a lot of things, the fact of life is not matter what you don’t have to do something unless you want to.”  
Lydia cracked a bit of a smile, “But isn’t that why I’m here? To... I don’t know, talk about my feelings, learn coping mechanisms, all that stuff?”  
“Is that what you want to do?” He offered, “Sit here and have me psychoanalyse you give you tasks that may or may not help you?”  
“Not really.”  
“Then let’s not,” he shrugged his shoulders, “for all I care you can come in and talk about your feelings or if you would rather spend half an hour watching stupid videos on the internet that works for me too. Coping is what works for you, what makes you feel better. So as long as you don’t start taking drugs I think I’ll let you decide what makes you feel less frazzled. Do you want to talk about things today?”  
“Well I mean you already know what happened…”  
“Actually, I don’t,” He shook his head, “Call me a slacker but I find files boring. I’m sure there was lots of information written in a dreadfully boring clinical tone from the security officers and something lovely from Fowler but I’d rather get to know people who see me from them. Works better that way.”  
“So you don’t know anything about me?”  
“I know you’re a necromancer, a new transfer student, and a foster child,” he offered neutrally, “I know your name is Lydia Hines, and Fowler asked you to come see me. Past that not a thing. Drawing assumptions from what you just said, do you want to talk about what happened? Has anyone talked to you about it?”  
“Not really,” She stuttered a little, “I mean no, no one has talked to me about it really. I don’t really know how to talk about it. It’s like I know what happened, I know all the facts but it still seems the most surreal thing that’s happened, and I mean magic has been a running theme for the last week.”  
“Why does it have to be real?” He commented diplomatically, “Why can’t we let it be a dream or a fuzzy memory?”  
“Because someone is dead,” She swallowed.  
Adam nodded slowly, “Was it self-defense?”  
“It doesn’t feel that way knowing what I know now,” She admitted, “It doesn’t feel like it was fair.”  
“Do you mind helping me understand?” He smiled warmly, “Why wouldn’t it be fair for you to defend yourself?”  
Lydia sighed heavily, “I saw a girl, maybe a little older than me, a woman was attacking her in an alley. She… they said she was trying to rape her or mug her or something… I shouted at them thinking it would scare her but she didn’t seem to care at all. So I don’t know, I don’t remember thinking I just tried to hit her. I got a good hit to her head and she let the other woman go and she ran, she just bolted. Then she grabbed me, and she was so strong. I just kept trying to hit her or scratch her anything I could…”  
“It’s alright,” He soothed, “you don’t have to rush through if you don’t want to. Think of it like a dream, what happened next. Not everything, just the next big thing.”  
“I kneed her in the… the stomach and she fell over but my hand was stuck to her somehow. I felt like a burning in me, all up my arms and everything,” She swallowed, “then she was just dead. The police showed up because someone heard all the screaming...They said she had a heart attack but…”  
“But you felt it.” Adam nodded, “It is a very rare technique among necromancers. And not the best way to find out about your heritage.”   
“Then the… I don’t know, recruiters?” She sighed, “they showed up at my foster home and started explaining all this magic stuff.”  
“They can move quite quickly,” he shook his head, “I know it’s probably something you’ve heard too much already, but you know you did nothing wrong, right Lydia? That what you did was simply self-defense and while it ended unfortunately it could have been much worse if you hadn’t defended yourself?”  
“It doesn’t feel fair,” she finally admitted clenching her hands in her lap, “I have power, power I didn’t know about and can’t control. She became a victim because she grabbed me. She didn’t even plan on attacking me I just stuck my nose where it didn’t belong and she died.”  
“If you hadn’t that young woman might be dead or worse, horrifically traumatized to the point she may have tried to take her own life and spent the rest of her life miserable,” Adam pointed out calmly, “Can you answer a hypothetical for me?” She nodded, “Would you criticize someone, if say the woman who had stopped this man’s attack was a marine or black belt in martial arts, someone who was trained to fight and survive in the worst of conditions? Would you tell them they shouldn’t have intervened, shouldn’t have defended themselves even though it ended in the man’s death? What if a little boy with a pocket knife tried to stop him and accidentally slashed the man’s wrist and he bled out before paramedics could arrive. Would you tell the little boy it was his fault, that he killed someone?”  
“No,” she shook her head horrified.  
“Then why do you tell yourself that?”   
“I…” she started before really thinking about what he said, “I don’t know.”  
“It’s alright,” he reassured her, “I find we are often harder on ourselves than we would ever be on others. We over analyze and think ‘if I had just done this one thing different’. It’s not that way Lydia, sometimes things just happen.”  
“I might have been able to change it,” she frowned swallowing, “It’s been playing in my head since they told me that magic is usually genetic. If I was with my mother maybe she would have told me about this and I would have had control…”  
“Lydia you can’t control that your mother put you up for adoption,” Adam sighed feeling for her so lost in a new world.  
“My mom didn’t…” she muttered, “My sister and I were taken from her when we were little. She tried so many times to get me back but I refused to go. If I had just gone maybe…”  
“Do you mind if I ask…” He began choosing his words carefully, “Do you know why she lost custody of you and your sister?”  
“Abuse,” she swallowed shaking the distant memories away, “I was old enough to remember, I just couldn’t forgive her.”  
“Did your sister choose to go back?”  
“I don’t know,” Lydia shrugged, “We got separated early on in the system and I’ve never found her again. I think someone told me she got adopted at some point but all the records are sealed.”  
“It must be hard,” Adam commented calmly, “Do you ever feel alone?”  
“I used to be, a lot,” Lydia admitted, “Some homes were more lonely than others. It’s been mostly okay recently, I don’t know about here yet though...Everyone is trying to be really welcoming but… I just don’t know yet.”  
“You’ll find your footing soon,” He grinned warmly, “Things will all start to blur together when you start your classes and get in the swing of things. But I think right now you could use a nice slice of chocolate cake from the cafeteria or better yet Lexi if she’s been baking.”  
“You know Lexi too?”  
“I know most of the necromancers,” Adam admitted, “Would you come back to talk to me? I get rather bored filling out paperwork.”  
“Sure,” Lydia nodded taking her papers and getting up smiling a little, “When should I come back?”  
“Whenever you want Lydia,” He smiled warmly as she left flicking open her file and adding his notes to it.  
Lydia strolled down the stairs and back out of the admin building reading list thinking about venturing toward the library. Suddenly some one called, “Lydia!” She looked up to see a tall girl jogging toward her, she had a strong oval face that made Lydia smile as she smiled, “You’re Lydia right? Lexi texted us while we were in class. I’m Vanessa, everyone calls me Nessi. My brother Nick and I are necromancers too. It’s so exciting to meet you.”  
“Oh, hi,” Lydia smiled noticing the boy behind Vanessa, he was about the same height as his sister but for some reason she had scarcely noticed him.  
Nessi ignored Lydia’s offered hand and hugged her, “It’s so nice to have more necromancers around. You’re coming out with us tomorrow right?”  
“What?”  
“We go shopping on Saturdays in town,” she explained as they started walking back to Renbeck hall, “Pick up little things, sometimes just see a movie or go bowling. Which room did you get?”  
“I’m all the way at the top,” Lydia explained trying to follow along, “Lexi mentioned something about that I think… I guess I could, how much does the bus cost?”  
Nick snorted a half laugh as Nessi scoffed, “We get driven in, no cost at all.”  
“Oh, maybe, I have this packet I need to read that Mrs. Fowler game to me about becoming a ward or something…”  
“Oh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t know your parents were gone,” Nessi frowned sympathetically.  
“They aren’t, or I don’t think so,” Lydia rushed shaking her head, “I’m just a foster kid. Never knew my dad and my mom lost custody so there’s a thing with that I guess. I kinda wanted to read up on becoming a ward of the school.”  
“Oh I wouldn’t worry about it,” Nessi smiled as they walked up the porch, “Nick and I have been wards for like two years now, everyone is really nice. There’s another girl I think, a vampire she lives in that house across the lawn.” She nodded to a little cottage with a little garden in front of it, “I’ve never really met her but Fowler mentioned her once.”  
“Do they like make you do anything?” Lydia asked, “Like stay on holidays and things.”  
“No, Fowler is super good about that,” She shrugged, “Nick and I usually go to Lexi’s on the holidays. She really takes care of everything, even lets us go see our parents on occasion.” Nessi caught the look on Lydia’s face and smiled, “It’s a long story and an all too familiar one. C’mon I smell cookies.”  
They stepped in and Nessi called out a hello and Lexi poked out from the kitchen with a pink and black apron on and hot pad in her hands, “Cookies!”  
“Knew it,” Nessi cheered dragging Lydia with her into the kitchen to snatch a too hot cookie off the plate on the table panting as she took a bite too cool off. Lydia found herself getting more at ease as the day went on. They discussed basics of magic over dinner and everyone was happy to contribute explaining things to her. She learned that witches tended toward family groups called covens and because there were so few of them they was only one coven at the school, but the larger populations like Shadow casters had several covens. After dinner they all played some games and for the first time in a long time Lydia felt like she was part of a family again.


	4. day out

The next day they took her out to town and she found herself staying close to Nessi and Lexi. It felt good to see everyone acting so normal, at the school it was all magic and insanity but they acted just like everyone else. Nessi bought ice cream for her as all the girls sat down in the park for a break. 

Lydia smiled shoving her spoon into her ice cream to wave at Lucas when she spotted him and some of his friends a little ways away. He waved back as one of his friends nudge him back into conversation. Mellany smiled looking around, “Who’d you wave at it?”

“Oh, just this guy I met,” Lydia shrugged eating her ice cream, “I was looking for the cafeteria and he helped me out. I think his name is Lucas or something, shadowcaster I think.”

“Lucas Yarwood?” She gawked.

“I don’t know,” She shrugged nodding to the group across the park, “The one with the pink highlights.”

“You made friends with Lucas Yarwood,” Lexi scoffed shaking her head, “You know he’s a prince right?”

“I seem to recall someone addressing him that way,” Lydia winced, “Is that like a big deal? I thought because there were royals on campus it was pretty normal?”

“It is, just not him,” Mellany spat in his direction, “I’d just stay away from him.”

“Really?”

“Did he want something?” Lexi asked neutrally, “When you talked to him?”

“No,” Lydia shrugged, “I was just lost, he offered to show me where the cafeteria was. We were chatting and Mrs. Fowler called me up to discuss my classes.”  
Mellany scoffed again and Nessi shook her head, “Lighten up guys. Lydia is her own person she can make her own friends.” she winked at Lydia, “Just make sure he knows we’re gonna gutt him if he ever does anything to you.”

“I met him once,” Lydia shook her head smiling a little, “He was perfectly polite.”

They finished up their treat and made their way back to the busses stopping in a couple more shops on the way. It was a nice day out and Lydia sat next to Lexi on the way back. After a long while she asked, “I was wondering something. Adam mentioned it when I spoke to him and I’m not really sure how to ask…”

“Just shoot kiddo,” Lexi smiled. 

“I’m a little nervous about my… stuff.”

“Stuff?”

“Magic, I guess,” Lydia shrugged, “I just don’t know how to do anything and I’m a little scared to fuck it up considering how fucked up it can get.”

“You want to practice?” Lexi smiled reassuring her, “Sure thing. We can have some fun tomorrow.”

“Really?”

“Of course,” Lexi chuckled, “We can run through some basic stuff. Dip your toes in the water so to say.”

“Thank you,” Lydia smiled warmly.

“You haven’t had people help you a lot, have you?” Lexi asked smiled softly.

“Not really,” Lydia admitted, “It’s nothing malicious, but in the system you just get used to doing things yourself. Unless you hit the jackpot foster parents have so many mouths to feed and so many kids to deal with you just end up only going to them with big things.”

“We’re not another foster family, Lyd,” Lexi sighed taking her hand, “A lot of us only have half a family so here in this house we are one big family. You can count on all of us no matter how small.”


	5. first day

“Lydia wake up you’re gonna miss breakfast!” Nessi called up the stairs, “Class starts in an hour!”

“I’m coming!” Lydia rushed out her door with her bag. She glared tripping over the rug on the landing again muttering, “really!”

“Rugasaurus still hasn’t gotten used to you yet, huh?” Mike chuckled as Lydia stumbled down the stairs.

“Apparently not,” Lydia sighed, “it may just be me I feel so scattered this morning.”

“I can tell,” He snickered looking her up and down as they walked into the kitchen. 

Lydia followed his gaze and groaned, she’d forgotten her white dress shirt and had come down in a camisole and her skirt. Lexi chuckled handing her one out of the laundry with a plate of eggs bacon and toast, “I’ve got you covered, everyone forgets something. Mike help her out.”

“Right,” he nodded setting down his coffee and quicky braiding her hair for her as she scarfed down some food, “You remember your schedule?”

“Healing, this morning,” Lydia recanted, “followed by literature, then lunch, latin then study hall and finally meditation.”

“Good girl,” Nessi smiled, “Now you’re in the intro healing class so Mike and I are going to be there. You’re on your own for lit but Tony is taking Latin and….”

“I’m sitting in as a teacher’s aid for meditation,” Lexi reassured her.

“I have been to school on my own before,” Lydia smiled, “But thank you, guys.”

“You have your books?” Nessi reminded her.

Lydia pulled her bag onto the table looking through it before nodding, “Theory of healing, some kind of kid’s latin book, Metamorphoses for lit, and meditation guide for beginners.”

“Stop quizzing her,” Lexi frowned at every one, “Eat up Lyd, or you’re going to be light headed half way through your first class. That goes for all of you.”

Lydia went back to eating before rushing out the door with Mike and Nessi for her healing class. She was nervous but it was a pretty straight forward lecture on basic theory, no active spell casting. It was easy for her to get her head wrapped around the lesson, Lexi had done a great job getting her used to terminology. She took notes on the basic diagnostic spell casting and what signs she could look for after casting to indicate injuries. They took a small ten minute break halfway through the two hour class and Lydia was feeling confident as she chatted with Mike and Nessi, that was until the teacher announced they would be resuming class with a practical demonstration. Large dummies floated out of closets like demented marionettes and settled on each lab desk. Lydia swallowed hard as the teacher explained, “Now each golem is going to present with different problems for each of your casting. Your assignment today is to assess your gollem three times each and diagnose the injuries each time. I expect you all to hand in your diagnoses at the end of class.”

“Relax,” Nessi smiled, “I’ll go first. Remember a lot of this is all about thinking things into being.”

Nessi waved her hands over the golem and a shimmering reflection of the golem appeared over it with a couple of glowing lights on its leg and arm. Nessi took notes muttering to herself about broken bones. Mike went next before finally it was Lydia’s turn and she took a deep breath trying to picture the mirror image the way Nessi’s had looked. It flickered for a moment before coming into being but she nearly cheered when she’d succeeded in casting the spell. She breathed a sigh of relief that she’d been able to do it right and hurriedly took note of the red as internal bleeding and blue broken ribs. She successfully dismissed the spell and it was Nessi’s turn again. By the time class was winding down Lydia was casting with no trouble.

“Wow you really got the hang of this,” Mike nudged her playfully, “You’ll be a pro in no time.”

“It’s a very basic spell,” She reminded him as they handed in their papers on their way out, “I’m just happy I didn’t break the dummy.”

“You did great for your first day!” Nessi assured her giving her a little squeeze, “Small or not for your first time casting it was great. I’ve seen a lot of people struggle with their first time.”

“Yeah but I feel so tired,” Lydia sighed feeling like she had just run a mile, “Is that normal?”

“Until you get used to casting, yes,” Mike chuckled handing her a muffin, “Lexi gave me one in case you wore yourself out, it’ll make you feel better.”

“You guys are the best,” Lydia smiled taking a bite of the somehow still warm chocolate muffin as she waved goodbye heading for her literature class. She was really relieved not to have another spell casting class and sat down when people were still filing into class. 

She was surprised to see Lucas and waved as he walked in. He broke out in a grin and came to sit next to her smiling, “Fancy seeing you here. How’s the first day going?”

“Well I haven’t blown anything up yet so I’d say an overall success,” she joked, “Honestly, healing wasn’t as bad as I thought. I may get the hang of this witchcraft stuff.”

He chuckled, nodding to the half eaten muffin, “wore yourself out, huh?”

“Thankfully, Lexi had me covered,” Lydia shook her head.

“Don’t feel too bad,” Lucas assured her, “I passed out the first time I tried to cast a spell. Talk about embarrassing, it was a stupid easy thing too. All I was trying to do was summon a cup to catch tadpoles.”

“Not what I would have pictured as your first spell,” Lydia chuckled.

“I was like six,” he laughed, “Not all of us get to start in our teens. Did Fowler get you the readings for this week.”

“Yup,” Lydia smiled patting her book, “Got caught up over the weekend. When she said literature I wasn’t expecting classical roman.”

“The teachers get to be a bit more liberal with the curriculum,” Lucas shrugged as the teacher called the class to order. Lydia found the class to be pretty easy compared to everything else. The teacher even looked slightly impressed with her analysis. She noticed though, that Lucas on the other hand was not impressing anyone when called on, which he was actively avoiding. He groaned as they packed up their things, “That sucked.”

“Did you even read it?” Lydia teased.

“I did,” He defended as they walked toward the cafeteria, “I just do it during study hall. Then by the time class rolls around I’ve forgotten and can’t find my notes. I don’t know I just don’t get this transformation thing, its basic magical transmutation. What’s the big deal?”

“Not everything is about magic, princess,” Lydia giggled, “This is all hyperbole and metaphors. It's not about the actual transformation, it’s about what it means. Daphne fleeing but transforming into a sedentary tree.”

“You really get this stuff,” Lucas scoffed impressed.

“Literature is something taught in human school,” Lydia shook her head, “I had some great teachers that recommended books to help get your head around things like that. You should check out ‘reading lit like a professor’ it’s a life saver when it comes to metaphors.”

“I will definitely use that,” Lucas nodded as they got their food. He hesitated as Lydia started to walk toward the other Necromancers, “I’ll catch up with you later. I might bug you in study hall if I have a question about the reading, if that’s okay?”

“Yeah, of course,” Lydia smiled noticing his hesitation, “You can sit with us you know.”  
He winced awkwardly, “I don’t think your friends would like that. I’ve got a reputation with them and I don’t want to make them uncomfortable. Honestly it’s not a big deal, I’ll just catch you later.”

“What are you talking about,” Lydia stopped staring at him, “Is this something to do with why one of them warned me to stay away from you? What’s the issue?”  
Lucas frowned a little sadly, “Necromancers and Shadowcasters have had some political tension lately. Like I said I don’t want to make them uncomfortable. You really should hear that kind of thing from your own kind.”

“Okay that came off as vaguely racist,” She scoffed wondering what the hell was going on.

He winced again running a hand through his hair, “I didn’t mean it that way. I just don’t want them thinking I told you something with an agenda. That is your coven after all. I just meant you should hear it from other necromancers because then you know you’re not getting some political b.s.”

“Alright,” Lydia nodded a little reassured, “I’ll uh, catch you during study hall.”


	6. heavy subjects

Lucas flashed a smile before they parted and she sat down with Lexi and the others. All of them were glaring at Lucas and Lydia sighed, “Alright, what is the beef with him?”

“It’s nothing,” Nessi assured her nodding for her to eat.

“It’s enough of something he’s afraid to sit with you guys,” Lydia sighed, “He won’t tell me though, said it was something I should hear from you guys.”

Nessi opened her mouth to dismiss the tension and Tony frowned, “Just tell her.”

“Lucas’s father is the king and a bit of an asshole to necromancers,” Lexi explained shifting the tension in the group.

“By asshole, she means genocidal maniac,” Mellany muttered staring at her food.

“What?”

“We were debating whether or not to tell you because you haven’t been affected by it and we want you to make friends, Lyd,” Nessi cut in gently, “His father is aggressive about trying to control our kind and a lot of us have lost parents to his ‘rehab’ centers.”

“These are what? concentration camps?” Lydia stared following the tone of the conversation, “Why? I thought there was a council that governed the people.”

“There are but it’s complicated,” Lex sighed as they all ate, “Necromancers don’t have a kingdom. No one knows what happened to our royal line, and without one you don’t get a seat on the council. Right now many royal families are fighting for control of our kind of magic. Lucas’s dad isn’t the only one with the camps, but he is the most aggressive. It’s the reason we don’t trust Lucas.”

Lydia frowned trying to follow along, “I’m missing something. When you say control, you mean like loyalty, he’s trying to make people swear loyalty to him.”

“No,” Mike sighed not his usual chipper self, “Royal lines are usually the first of their magical kind. This gives them certain unique abilities. No one but the royals know all of them, one that’s pretty common though is the ability to control their line. If Lucas didn’t like something about his subjects he could take their magic if he wanted.”

Nessi nodded, “That’s what everyone is trying to prove. That they can exert this kind of control over our people. The rehab centers are just places to experiment on our kind. Some of us have had our parents abducted and not come back. It makes us wary of shadowcasters.”

“How has no one stopped this?” Lydia balked.

“Because many members of the council also do it,” Lexi sighed with a coldness about the subject, “We are pretty much a teddy bear in a group of bratty two year olds. Officially these places don’t exist and officially we aren’t a recognized branch of magic that gets to make laws for ourselves.”

“If we’re being honest though,” Nessi pointed out much to the chagrin of everyone else at the table, “Lucas has never been rude to us and respects that we don’t want him around.”

“His father is just a monster,” Nick scoffed.

Lydia finished her lunch in silence thinking about what they said. Lucas just didn't come off in that kind of way. Still it gave her an oddly sick feeling in her stomach that someone so nice would come from someone that did that. She went to her Latin class and pushed the thoughts from her mind to focus on the new language. She took to it well and found it fairly easy to pick up. Lydia took her study hall in the library working through her Latin homework. Lucas sat down across from her looking a little nervous swallowing, “Have you done the reading yet?”

“Is that really what we are going to talk about?” Lydia fought a smile.

“At some point yes,” he pleaded, “Because I really don’t understand it.”

“Is what they said true,” She whispered across the table.

“You know I’m not omniscient right,” he tried to lighten the mood a little, “I have no idea what they said.”

“You obviously know the jist,” She frowned, “They said your dad is running concentration camps for necromancers.”  
Lucas sighed looking disappointed, “Yes. My dad is an asshole. It doesn’t excuse anything but he isn’t the only one. I don’t agree with him doing it, it’s stupid and impossible for him to do.”

“Really?”

“Magical bloodlines are absolute,” Lucas explained quietly, “If it was at all possible our family would have to have an aptitude in your magic. I can barely heal a broken bone, I’m horrendously awful at healing. There is no way you fall under our domain. I don’t know why he started doing this he doesn’t talk to me about it. The only thing I can figure is he’s ambitious and it would help his position and power on the council.”

“I’m just at a loss here, this is fucked up shit,” She stared at him, “Can’t you do anything? You’re a prince.”

“I know,” He sighed, “I can’t though. If I challenge my father, it would cause a civil war among my people. I would have to make him abdicate and for that my people would have completely turn. I’m doing what I can. I’ve been trying to get my people to disagree with his policies and some of them are but it’s a slow process.” he lowered his voice again, “The council has an official policy that this doesn’t happen. I can’t go to them because my father will get a note that I did and advice to keep it quieter. Right now I know some things and I pass that on to a friend of mine. He runs raids on these places, gets the people there to real health facilities to keep them from all of the people on the council that do this.”

Lydia was quiet as she assessed everything he said. He frowned, “Lydia, I have nothing but respect and gratitude for necromancers. My mother died when I was just a kid, political shit, the nanny I had was a necromancer. She helped me get closure and process the loss. She held my family together when my dad was putting on a brave face and shutting down inside. I can’t understand how in the face of that he does this but I absolutely hate it.”

Lydia was quiet for another long moment before sighing, “Well, you were honest. And if I don’t talk to you it's entirely possible you’re going to fail lit class.”

“More than likely,” He cracked a smile relieved she wasn’t pushing him away, “Thank you, Lydia, for not jumping to the assumption that everyone else does.”

“I don’t suppose my opinion matters all that much but I feel like everyone deserves a fair shake,” Lydia chuckled packing away her latin to take out the literature book, “Besides…”

“It does matter to me,” he told her taking her hand on the table.

Lydia smiled a little before nodding, “Let’s see if we can’t get through this chapter.”

They worked on the text for the next hour and Lydia suggested that he try annotating the text to better keep track of his notes. They started packing up and Lucas ventured, “Hey, Would you maybe want to go out some time?”

“What?” Lydia laughed before looking up at him, “You’re serious?”

“I’m making an idiot of myself aren’t I?” he blushed scratching the back of his neck.

“No, I just…” she shifted nervously, “That’s a little fast.”

“My mom used to say fortune favors the bold,” Lucas chuckled.

“Oooh,” Lydia tried to fight the smirk, “Playing the dead mom card, you’re aiming for a pity date, princess.”

“Date is a date,” he smiled, “What do you say? I’ll take you to the fabulous cafeteria for dinner, even have you home by an appropriate time.”

“Cheapskate too,” Lydia chuckled, “I hit the jackpot. Tomorrow night?”

“Tomorrow night,” he grinned noticing Lexi waiting by the door to the library watching him, “I’ll catch you in lit.”

They said goodbye and Lydia joined Lexi smiling, “ready?”

“What did he say,” Lexi asked as they walked.

“He said the same thing you guys did,” Lydia sighed, “He said he doesn’t agree with his dad but fighting with him would cause a civil war so he’s waiting for the right time.”

“You buying that?”

“I don’t know,” Lydia shrugged, “He seemed genuine, I guess I’ll learn my lesson if he’s really an asshole.”

“Well we have your back,” Lexi smiled wrapping an arm around her shoulder, “We’ll beat him up if he messes around. He seemed pretty friendly.”

“He thinks fortune favors the bold,” Lydia laughed, “Kinda crazy to think it’ll turn into anything more because he’s a prince and all but I like his sense of humor.”

“Weirder things have happened,” Lexi laughed as they went into the classroom. It was dark and filled with large pillows. Everyone found a spot and Lydia settled near Lexi as the teacher opened the class and began the guided meditation. By the time it was over she felt tired, everyone else seemed rejuvenated but she felt worse than when she had casted the healing spells. Lexi walked slowly back with her and assured her it was normal. They cooked dinner at the dorm and after Lydia was feeling better. After dinner Lydia knocked on Nessi’s door, “Hey, can I ask you something?”

“Of course,” She smiled holding a small ball of fire in her hand, “Come on in. What’s up?”

“I have a meeting with Fowler tomorrow morning about being a ward of the state,” Lydia admitted having a seat on her bed, “I’ve been reading through the papers but…”

“You want to know what it’s like,” She chuckled continuing her practicing, “It’s not so bad, Lydia. It’s like having a foster home. The school just takes care of everything. I don’t think I actually told you why Nick and I are wards.”

“No.”

“Our parents are in jail,” Nessi shrugged with a nervous smile, “The magic kind. We also got turned over to the foster system but because we were already aware of our heritage we were given to the school. I think the official way it works is the school gets paid to foster us. The way Fowler runs it, is that there’s a fund that the council contributes to for orphans and fosters and things. So she takes something like a quarter of what the state pays and puts it into the fund, the rest comes to us. Nick and I get a little over three hundred a month each for various things we need.”

“Really,” Lydia stared a little surprised.

“You didn’t know how much foster families get?” Nessi chuckled, “Yeah it covers the basics. Fowler is a pretty good principal. Nick and I originally wanted to be emancipated but we were too young to make the decision at the time. I’m actually grateful Fowler made us wards, we got a lot of help and protection the council wouldn’t have provided us.”

Lydia felt reassured about the decision and went ahead and signed the paperwork with Madam Fowler the next morning. The week seemed to rush by, but she enjoyed her date with Lucas. He really was sweet despite her hesitation, he was patient and almost seemed nervous around her. His sense of humor matched her own and they got on like a house on fire. She enjoyed spending time around him and the other necromancers seemed to be getting warily used to him occasionally appearing to walk with Lydia to class.


	7. vampires

“I’ve got to get to Latin,” she winked as she got up from lunch with Lucas.

“I’ll walk with you,” He grinned getting rid of his tray, “my hex class is that way.”

“Oh so you know ethics too,” Lydia teased him.

“Look who knows the school class list,” He chuckled slipping his hand into hers, “Yes, I took the prerequisite ethics class before hexes and charms. It’s actually a fascinating class you might like it.”

“I was actually thinking about magical crafting next semester,” Lydia admitted, “Now that I’m getting used to all this stuff I might like to dig a little deeper into it.”

“Sounds fun,” Lucas smiled stopping short as girl Lydia had never met brushed past another knocking her over with her books right in front of them.

The girl, a tall ethereal looking brunette, hissed down at the other, “Out of the way, bat.”

Lydia couldn’t stop herself and Lucas realized too late what she was about to do. She let go of him stepping between them as she snapped, “Why don’t you watch where you’re going, idiot.”  
The brunette hissed like an angry cat revealing elongated fangs and a deadly dark glare. If Lydia had been asked she would have to admit she was surprised, though her face looked more impassive like watching a child throwing a temper tantrum. She snarled, “Don’t put yourself in matters that don’t concern you witchling.”

“Ease off Raven,” Lucas commented pointedly glaring not at her but at a long haired boy a few feet away.

The girl ignored him with a scoff as Lydia huffed, “You owe my friend an apology.”

“I owe little crypts nothing,” She spat down at the girl before fixing her gaze back on Lydia, “You ought to learn your place witchling or you’re going to end up where your little coven can’t protect you…”

She reached out to push Lydia but Lexi snatched her wrist glaring forcefully, “Don’t dare threaten my coven members.”

“Little witch doesn’t know her place,” Raven snapped at Lexi towering over her.

“You insult your race,” Lexi snapped back, “I’m shocked an idiot like you was ever born. Do you even know who Lydia is? She’s our new student, even without us she would obliterate you.”

The boy watching from afar finally stepped in pulling Raven’s shoulders away as he frowned, “You have my apologies for the offense, Lucas.”

The two left and Lydia just shook her head turning to help the girl pick up her books. Lydia recognized her, they shared latin class together. She had silvery hair that brushed at her shoulders and amber filled eyes that watched Lydia in almost abject horror as she picked up the books. Lexi sighed looking down at Lydia, “Learn to pick your fights kid.”

“I wasn’t going to let her be that much a bitch without a reality check,” Lydia shook her head handing the books back to the girl, “I’m Lydia, you’re in my latin class right?”

“Yes,” she uttered quietly accepting them still in shock before blinking, “I’m Jane.”

Lexi frowned checking her watch, “Lydia, don’t go picking more fights before the end of the day.”

“No promises,” Lydia smiled at her making Lexi frown.

“I’ll make sure she gets to class alright,” Lucas assured the wary necromancer who almost managed a smile in response. 

Lydia ignored them smiling at Jane, “You should come with us.”

“Okay,” She nodded hesitantly walking with them, “You didn’t have to do that.”

“Bitches will be bitches,” Lydia shrugged taking Lucas’s hand again, “I didn’t mind.”

“It happens all the time,” Jane shrugged absently, “It’s just her culture.”

“It’s still a bitchy thing to do,” Lydia shaking her head, “She literally shoved you down. You should walk with us, maybe it’ll fix her attitude.”

“I doubt it,” Jane muttered almost to herself.

“You’re probably right,” Lydia smirked, “as my nana used to say she had a face like she smelled a fart.”

Lucas snorted out a laugh as he left them at the door, “Think you can stay out of trouble?”

“Maybe,” Lydia chuckled, “See you tonight?”

“Of course.”

Lydia sat next to Jane and made jokes that made her giggle through the class. They suffered a few glares from the teacher but made it through. As they left Lydia smiled, “We should hang out.”

“You are genuinely nice,” Jane shook her head in shock.

“Are people really that rude to you,” she huffed, “That’s sucky.”

“They don’t mean to be,” Jane shrugged opening up a little, “I’m an orphan and orphan vampires are kind of taboo, people assume it means there’s something wrong with us. Raven just takes it too far, most people just ignore me.”

“That's stupid,” Lydia muttered, “I grew up in foster care. There’s nothing wrong with not having parents.”

“I know that,” Jane smiled, “I just don’t meet many like minded people.”


	8. Date night

“You ready?” Lucas smiled as Lydia opened the door. She was wearing a summery dress with light florals that she had borrowed from Nessi.

“Yuppers,” She smiled sliding her arm in his, “So should we hit the cafeteria and watch a movie?”

“I was actually thinking we could go somewhere nice tonight,” Lucas admitted, “I managed to coax an off campus pass for us. How would you feel about dinner in the city with maybe a movie we don’t watch on a laptop.”

“Really,” Lydia laughed a little surprised, “What’s the occasion?”

“No occasion,” Lucas shrugged, “I’ve been a cheap date recently, I wanted to take my girlfriend out for something a little nicer for once.”

Lydia paused blinking surprised at him, “I’m your girlfriend now?”

Lucas stopped with her to peer at her in equal surprise as he shoved his hands in his pockets awkwardly, “Is that not what we are? I mean, I know we’ve never discussed being exclusive and all but I haven’t been seeing anyone else.”

“I didn’t know we were seeing each other,” She blushed nervously.

He chuckled a little, “What would you call what we’ve been doing? We go on a date like twice a week for the last couple of months.”

“Holy shit,” stared doing the math, “I am the worst.”

“You’re not the worst,” He assured her taking her hand again.

“How did I not realize that,” She groaned as Lucas lead the way to a car with a driver.

“It’s been a busy few weeks,” Lucas chuckled, “Did you really think I was just yanking you around or something.”

“I don’t know,” She sighed as they were driven into town, “I guess I didn’t think it could be something serious.”

Lucas was taken aback by the comment frowning, “Why?”

“Well, you’re a prince, Lucas,” Lydia admitted chewing on her lip, “I’m an orphaned necromancer that is a freak by magic standards.”

“What a power couple,” he winked at her.

“I’m serious,” Lydia sighed, “Lucas, you really think something between us could last I guess.”

“I don’t know where it’ll end up,” Lucas admitted, “Three months from now we could hate each other, then again ten years from now we could be married with three kids.”

“Three?” Lydia laughed, “We’re having three? You’re lucky I’m considering one.”

“See,” He nudged her, “I just want to let it be whatever it’s going to be. I like you, a hell of a lot, Lydia.” 

“Yeah well,” She shrugged smiling a little, “I didn’t think that kind of stuff mattered to royal kind of relationships. I mean won’t people still be against it if we’re in love with each other.”

“It matters to me,” Lucas explained, “Politically, I’m secure enough that marrying or dating who I want to isn’t going to make a difference.” He could see the nerves in her, “Lydia, don’t worry about it.”

“Alright,” She smiled as the car stopped and Lucas escorted her into the restaurant, “Wow this place is pretty impressive.”

“Oh just you wait until there’s a vacation,” He chuckled while the hostess seated them, “Then we can have a really good time.”

“You do know you don’t have to buy your way into my pants,”’ She joked looking at the menu and balking at the prices. She glanced at Lucas and he didn’t even seem to notice so she let it go. 

“Doesn’t mean I can’t have fun trying,” He shot back. 

They placed their orders and made chit chat for a while mostly joking with one another. After a little while Lydia sighed, “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course,” 

“Are orphans a bad thing here,” She wondered, “I mean like in the magical world.”

“It depends,” Lucas nodded frowning, “I take it this is about Jane?”

“She mentioned people thought of her like some kind of taboo,” Lydia sighed, “It just got me wondering.”

“It’s mainly a vampire thing,” Lucas sighed with a shrug, “Vampires are diverse genetically. There are three categories, from what I remember. There are pure bloods, these are what humans think of as vamps. They drink blood, if they bite you they can turn you into a vampire thanks to a venom, some suggestive abilities. Then there’s gentiles, these are kind of like normal vampires, I think the ratio of gentiles to purebloods is something like seventy percent to ten percent. Gentiles are strong but not as strong as Purebloods they usually can't manipulate others, and if they bite you nothing is going to happen. Last are Ghouls, these are vampires that were once human, entirely nocturnal, blood drinking.”

“Okay,” Lydia nodded along taking the information in.

“They live for about five hundred years on average,” Lucas sighed, “Gentiles and Purebloods can have their own children but it’s few and far between. It’s difficult for vampires to have children, so they are seen as fairly sacred. Therefore if one is an orphan, there assumption is they are damaged or defective. It’s less common but some other magical kinds frown on orphans.”

“That’s so ridiculous,” She whined shaking her head.

“Vampires are very traditional,” Lucas explained as they ate, “They were worse about twenty years ago according to my father. Things were very strictly traditional but the new Queen seems to be more progressive but I still find them stuffy and pretentious.”

“That’s rich coming from a prince,” She teased him.

“One prince to another,” Lucas laughed, “He is a prick. He’s not above letting Jane tutor him so he passes his classes but let’s everyone treat her like shit.”

“Wait the prince goes to our school?” Lydia blinked, “I thought you were the only one.”

“No,” Lucas smiled, “You spoke to him today, he pulled Raven away from you and Jane. His name is Corbin, he’s… I don’t know, I don’t like him very much.”

“Seemed kind of like an asshole to me,” She nodded, “He didn’t even apologize Jane today.”

“Well that I get,” Lucas admitted, “That part of our education has been rather similar. Apologies to non-royals are considered a sign of weakness and especially in a formal conflict like that. His position isn’t as stable as mine so even if he did feel bad the best he could do was apologize to me, his equal, in front of her.”

“What do you mean?”

“The vampires had a coup a while back,” He sighed filling her in with the important cliff notes, “Their last king was like I said very traditional to the point of killing potential rivals. From what I understand he killed a rival’s child. It created a massive outrage and the entire royal family was killed, the vampire conclave appointed a new ruler, Queen Iolana. While appointed the whole family is under scrutiny, he has to be much more careful about every move he makes.”

“Why did he think he offended you,” She wondered eating up the information about the new world she lived in.

“Well,” he shrugged whining a little, “I’d guess he had assumed we were dating and Raven was insulting you. People have gone to war for less.”

She giggled a little at him, “You saying you’d go to war for me. What a white knight?”

“Absolutely.”


	9. Chapter 9

“Did you guys think Lucas and I were dating,” She asked hesitantly as she ate breakfast with the coven.

“I did,” Vanessa broke the silence, “Are you not?”

“I guess I just didn’t realize it,” She blushed a little, “I mean is that okay?”

“Kid, you love who you love,” Lexi cut in smiling softly, “Just because we are suspicious doesn’t take away from anything he’s done to earn your trust. Just remind him we’ll kill him if he hurts you.”

“In any way,” Mike added.

“Thanks guys,” She smiled at them, “how is the project coming along for your study hall?”

“Boring as all hell,” Nessi sighed with a shrug finishing her sandwich, “I’ll tell you more about it on the way to healing.”

They chatted as normal through the class. Lydia was happy she was starting to get the hang of the magic. It was a lot to take in at first, but it was slowly becoming normal for her. She could get her head wrapped around it, find the problem and imagine how it should be fixed, the forces that be took care of the rest. She cast the spell for the last time and frowned at the dummy, nothing happened.

“You feeling tired,” Nessi tried to help.

“I feel fine,” Lydia frowned, “I don’t understand why it isn’t working.”

“Try again,” Mike encouraged.

Lydia focused more acutely and the life form sprung to life as normal but she didn’t recognise the injuries. She could pick out a couple of them but the large swirling black mass in the center of it’s chest was nothing she could place. She glanced at Nessi asking, “Did I fuck up?”

“I don’t think so,” She stared at the odd representation, “Mike?”

“No idea.”

“Mrs. Greene?” Lydia hesitated, “I think our dummy is broken.”

The teacher came over freezing at the sight of the dummy as perplexed as the students, “who cast the spell?”

“Me,” Lydia offered confused, “I don’t understand. Did I mess up?”

“I don’t know,” Teacher frowned casting spells of her own before frowning, “No, it’s malfunctioning somehow. It was only supposed to display beginner's injuries for your class. This is an advanced healing case. That is strange. I’ll have to take it apart today, just note down that the mannequin malfunctioned.”

Lydia shrugged it off and finished her notes and carried on as usual. She paused as she was leaving venturing, “Mrs. Greene?”

“Yes?”

“You mentioned the malfunction was an advanced healing display,” Lydia chewed on her lip, “What was it? I’m just curious. The other injuries we’ve been learning about have been fairly easy to understand the color coding. But I haven’t been able to get it out of my head. I can’t figure out what black is meant to represent?”

The woman sighed setting her glasses down, “We call it a vortex representation. It’s the way that spell represents a possession by another magical being.”

“How does that work?” Lydia wondered curiously, “I mean I’m still getting my head around this but aren’t possessions more of a spiritual thing? How could we heal something like that? It’s not a physical injury?”

“You’re only beginning Lydia,” She smiled kindly, “You will find in you studies that your magic has almost limitless possibilities. Almost. There is a lot we can do for a possessed individual starting with the physical injuries caused. You’ll learn more about those in later years. We can help to sever the connection between the two individuals but ultimately it is up to the person to expel the foreign body. They have to want it gone and be strong enough to fight it off.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Greene,” Lydia smiled her curiosity sated.

“You have quite a talent for healing, Miss Hines,” She remarked, “I hope you intend to further your education in that area.”

“It’s certainly a lot more pleasant than how I was first introduced to magic,” she smiled hugging her note book, “I would like to take it further. I was also considering the crafting class next semester.”

“I think that would be a good fit for you,” She smiled fondly, “I know I’m partial but I would recommend continuing with this career path. I think you have a lot of potential for it.”

“I’ll think about it,” Lydia smiled as she left.

“I heard you had problems in healing today?” Lexi commented as they settled in for the meditation for the day.

“Yeah,” she sighed, “Mrs. Greene said the dummy was malfunctioning. I guess it was bound to happen eventually.”

“Happens every once in a while.” she nodded as they got settled, “At least you got a reading.”

She took a deep breath relaxing herself for the trance. She rolled her shoulders back correcting her posture to make sure everything was aligned. Lydia found it easy to slip into the quiet garden the instructor was leading them to. She sat on the soft grass watching the swaying of branches in the trees, distantly hearing the hushed rain and harp music. Slowly her classmates began joining the garden all taking in the calming atmosphere before the instructor arrived. Lexi sat with her smiling, “I love this place. No matter the day I’ve had the calm just drips into your very bones.”

“It is really nice,” Lydia nodded dreamily.

“oooOOOooo,” a distant muted voice lilted catching Lydia’s ear making her blink at a distant part of the garden distracted for a moment.

“Lydia,” Lexi called her back nodding toward a pond, “We’re starting.”

“Coming,” She nodded getting up and following Lexi. The quiet lilting song continued to dance around her ears as she tried to focus on the lesson. It started to almost strike a harmony with the plucks of the harp in the classroom.

“Come with me,” a low voice hummed with a low rising and falling melody.

“No,” she muttered to herself closing her projection’s eyes to focus with more concentration on where she was. She felt the voice faded and she took a calming breath, she had been wary of the dangers her book laid out about following any unknown calls when meditating. 

She choked on her breath opening her eyes in a dark and desolate garden. Darkness and grey bathed the landscape around her under a blood red moon. She felt her breath shorten as she muttered, “Just keep your cool, Lydia. You’re fine, just in the classroom. You can wake up… So wake up.”


	10. Chapter 10

The ground beneath her shook and her voice cracked as she talked to herself, “Okay… I can’t wake up… Keep calm, I have to find a cord, shock to wake me out of the trance. Easy.”

She cracked her neck setting herself on the task of searching for something, anything her subconscious had given her to get out. It took awhile but she found a statue she had never seen in the garden before. She nodded looking over the smoothe dark marble features of the woman. She was young with long hair decorated with flower blossoms. Lydia smiled at her in her simple dress, “Well, you’re different, that’s a good start. I wonder where I thought you up, if I did.”

She glanced around the clearing before settling on the silvery mercury like pool at the statues feet. She knelt down peering into the mirror like surface only finding the inanimate statue’s reflection rather than her own. She sighed studying the intricate veins of gold through the ink black marble, “This had better be a trick of the light-”

She sputtered choking on the last word as a cold adamantine hand closed around her throat. The hand rose as the statue emerged silvery water rolling down the shifting folds of her simple dress. Lydia glanced back still gasping for air to see the statue gone from its pedestal. Her toes were barely scraping the ground as she stared transfixed on it glowing warmly orange eyes like molten rock. It studied her closely before singing, “You are mine child…”

“No,” she coughed roughly.

“Bow.”

“No,” she refused head twitching back and forth.

“Murderer,” it hissed at her.

“No.”

“Yes,” it smirked.

Lydia felt like she was having a seizure as the image quivered flickering back and forth between the dark marble woman and grizzled woman. She was dirty, greasy blond hair and red eyes darting all over her. She hissed menacingly, “Murderer.”  
“No, no…” she started to sob feeling the searing pain seeping into her skin, penetrating her bones. She screamed pleasing, “No, no, I didn’t. I didn’t mean to!”

The image continued to flicker speaking with a deep gravity that rattled her whole world, “Murderer! Murderer!”  
Without warning everything was gone and she was sitting on her pillow hyperventilating as her bodily sensations returned felling Lexi clutching her shoulders. She tried to steady her breath the sensation of fingers gripping her throat still vivid on her skin. Lexi pulled her head up inspecting her worrying, “Lyd, Lydia can you hear me? You alright?”

She didn’t manage words but she swallowed hard nodding as she struggled out, “I’m here. What happened?”

“Lord, kid,” she breathed hugging her as Lydia took in everyone staring at her, “You had me worried.”

“I think it’s best you take her home Lexi,” the teacher urged her calmly, “Help her rest and…”

“Food, water, I know,” Lexi nodded helping Lydia up, “We’ll take care of her.”

Both girls were quiet on the way back to the house, Lydia leaning heavily on Lexi as her mind was still cloudy and coming back to reality. Lydia felt like maybe Lexi had texted everyone as she was grabbing her things because as they walked in the door Mike was waiting to help her over to the sofa. Penny wrapped her in a blanket as Nessi snuggled close handing her a cup of hot chocolate. Nick sat on her other side as Nessi rubbed her back. Lydia sighed taking in the full occupants of her house, “Honestly, I think I’m fine.”

“What happened Lyd,” Lexi asked sitting down, “You were right next to me, then I turned around and you were gone.”

“I don’t know,” Lydia shrunk a little, “I heard someone singing, I tried to block it out. I thought maybe it was a psychopomp. Then I wasn’t in the garden anymore,” She swallowed a big gulp of hot chocolate, “Something attacked me, then you were shaking me back awake. It was terrifying.”

“No shit,” Nessi consoled squeezing her shoulders, “Astral attacks are brutal. You’re not hurt are you?”

“I don’t think so,” She shook her head, “My neck is a little stiff.”

“Let me see,” Nessi urged peeking through the blanket before covering her mouth, “Lords of the underworld, your skin is scratched to hell. Someone get the first aid kit. Nick help me out.”

Lydia fought her reaction to shake steadying herself as the twins started to clean and rub antibacterial ointment onto the scratches across her neck. Medical care done everyone settled down Nessi continuing to provide a grounding physical affection as they put on a movie. No one left, an act of solidarity and support as the afternoon went down. For Lydia, it was the first time they had seen them act as a family. She had voraciously devoured books on the subject of witches in months there. She knew rationally covens were meant to be a found family network, but this was the first time she really felt included in it. Still, something had her on edge some lingering trace of her trance experience hanging over her. 

The movie was almost over when someone knocked on the door. Mike opened it blinking frozen for a moment as Lucas stood there with four bags hanging from each arm. Lucas panted eyes darting around the room, “I got here as soon as I could.”

“Um,” Mike chewed on his tongue glancing back into the room.

Lexi emerged with some bottles of water from the kitchen commenting, “That was fast.”

“I wasn’t going to take my time,” he scoffed, “Can I come in?”

“Yeah,” she nodded towards the living room, “Mike, take some of those bags.”

Mike helped Lucas untangle himself from the bags before Lucas took off rushing into the living room. Everyone stiffened a little at the arrival of the prince as he dropped to his knees in front of Lydia gently caressing her face, “Hey, baby, everything okay? I heard something happened? You alright?”

“Yeah,” she swallowed feeling her lip trembling as soon as he touched her. The waves of emotions she’d been buried welled up like a spring let loose and she admitted starting to cry, “No, not really.”

“Hey,” he soothed wiping her tears trying to soothe her, “It’s okay, it’s going to be alright. You’re fine, you’re safe.”

Everyone was staring somewhere between Lydia and Lexi shifting uncomfortably at Lucas’s arrival. Lexi rolled her eyes helping Mike unpack the hot food from the bags Lucas brought, “I invited him, she needed some comfort from her boyfriend.”

The uncomfortable tension settled into slight unease at Lexi’s comment. Nessi nodded waving her hand at her brother, “Nick, move.”

They shared a look but he got up all the same going to help Lexi and Mike as an excuse as to why he moved. Nessi nodded to the seat and Lucas eagerly took it shifting to accommodate Lydia crying against his chest. He rubbed her back mutter soft soothing words as she let out a torrent of grief and fear inside her. The unease faded to acceptance pointed looks from Nessi and Lexi as they shared the provided food from Lucas. Lydia’s crying fit subsided but she stayed snuggled against his chest as they started their second movie.

By the end of the night Lucas could almost swear they were warming up to him. He swallowed down his nerves while Lydia was in the bathroom, commenting, “I really appreciate you guys letting me be here for her tonight. I know it’s not comfortable…”

“Relax,” Mike sighed, “We’ll get used to it eventually.”

“You should stay tonight,” Nessi commented, “I think she’ll need it.”

“I don’t know,” He shrugged, “I don’t want to make her uncomfortable.”

“She threw herself at you when you walked in the door,” Lexi scoffed, “She needs the support tonight. None of us are going to go running to   
headmistress about it. Just no funny business.”

“Thank you,” he nodded genuinely, “I still want to ask her.”

“What?” Lydia asked softly.

“If I can stay tonight?”

She shuffled her feet as she chewed on her lip, “Are you okay with that? I just don’t really want to be alone…”

“Yeah, yeah of course, babe,” he smiled at her, “Anything you need?”

“Speaking which,” Lexi scolded, “It’s ten-thirty, you need your rest Lydia. Go get some sleep.”

She nodded heading up the stairs with Lucas right behind her. As they passed Lexi he mouthed again, “Thank you.”

She glanced back mumbling, “Watch the carpet, he’s picky.”


	11. Chapter 11

Lucas followed her up to the top of the house. It was oddly unnerving for him, he’d had girlfriends before, stayed over before, this was different somehow. It shouldn’t be, but he felt different, a bigger sense of responsibility to make her comfortable. She opened her door starting to get ready for bed when she paused, “Shit you don’t have anything to sleep in…”

“Don’t worry about me,” he smiled softly using his magic to change into pajamas she smiled back before going behind a screen to change. He absently wandered the room looking at her nic-nacs commenting, “I like what you’ve done with the place.”

He swore at himself internally, how stupid was he? Why the hell was he so nervous? He and Lydia had been seeing each other for almost three months now, this was entirely normal. She emerged chuckling, “I didn’t do much, it kind of came this way.”

Much to Lucas’s relief his awkwardness faded as they settled into her bed snuggling close under the covers. He gently stroked her hair for a while before realizing she wasn’t actually going to sleep. He swallowed after a moment, “You okay?”

She was quiet for a moment before sighing, “I’m sorry I was such a mess today.”

“Don’t be,” Lucas shook his head continuing to stroking her hair, “We all have bad days. I just want to make sure you’re okay. Do you want to talk about it?”

“I still don’t know what happened,” she mumbled, “Everything was fine, I was doing the meditation correctly. Then everything was dark. It was creepy but fine.” She snuggled closer before muttering, “Then this statue attacked me. She grabbed me and called me a murderer. It was terrifying.”

“Hey,” he soothed hugging her close, “It’s alright you’re safe.”

“But it’s true,” she sobbed against his chest too vulnerable to feel anxious about telling him, “Lucas I didn’t tell you why I came here. She wasn’t lying. I just feel so ashamed. Everyone is telling it’s not my fault, but it is. It is.”

“Lyd,” he soothed rolling onto his side to look her in the eye as he stroked the side of her face, “Lyds, hey, I’m right here. It’s alright. Talk to me.”

She sniffled calming herself down as he wiped away her tears. She chewed on her lip as she played with the wisps of color in his hair for a minute, 

“It’s fucked up Lucas.”

“More fucked up than my dad maybe being genocidal?” he teased lightly.

“I found a woman trying to rape someone,” she admitted, “I was told by police that she was tweaking hard on some drugs. That’s why they thought she had a heart attack. I was just trying to help, I yelled at her to stop and the other woman ran away. She grabbed me and I was terrified, she was so strong. Then I couldn’t let go and she was screaming, it hurt so much like I was on fire. Then she was just dead. The police questioned me for a bit but told me it was a heart attack. A few days later, people from the school came and told me about magic and all of this.” She was trembling again and it shattered him hearing what she had been through, “She was there today, I saw her. She grabbed me and I felt that pain again.”

“Hey,” he soothed cradling her, “You know why everyone is telling you it’s not your fault?” she hummed quizzically wanting to disappear into his chest. “Because it isn’t. You said they told you it was a heart attack? You don’t know that it was you, it could have been a side effect of the coke she was on or a million other things. I’m not saying your magic didn’t react but you don’t know if it was the sole cause.”

“Really?” 

“I think the coke probably did it,” He tried to joke, “I mean god if she was tweaking that hard.”

They giggled for a minute before she sighed, “It felt so real today, it was terrifying.”

“I don’t doubt it,” he smiled kissing her forehead, “But it was all on a plane far away. You’re safe here, and it can all fade away now.”

“Yeah,” she sighed settling in, “I think I just need to get my mind off it.”

He absently hummed slowly easing into softly singing as she fell asleep. Lucas had heard the rumors when she'd arrived but dismissed them when he met her. He didn't know how to feel about her admission. On the one hand she was right, it was a scary thought to think someone so kind and warm had killed someone. On the otherhand, he knew it wasn't her fault and it felt cold in his chest to think she believed she had done something wrong in protecting a stranger.


	12. Chapter 12

“Hey,” Jane smiled as she sat down next to her for class, “I heard something happened yesterday. Are you okay?”  
“Jeez,” Lydia sighed shaking her head, “Lexi wasn’t kidding about rumors here. I’m fine. Do you have the homework?”  
“Right here,” Jane offered, “What happened?”  
“I fucked up a meditation,” she brushed it off quickly copying down the translation.  
“Yikes, no fun at all,” Jane sighed, “You want to study tonight?”  
“As long as study is code for eat junk and bull shit together,” Lydia joked, “I’ve had enough mopping with everyone.”  
“Deal,” the vampire grinned, “Do you know which house is mine?”  
“I think so,” Lydia nodded, “it’s the little cottage, right?”  
“Yup.”  
“Why don’t we meet at the cafeteria after the last class,” Lydia offered, “Pack up some junk for tonight.”  
“Now that is a great idea.”  
The classes seemed to drag on but she was happy to make it through meditation without incident, though she could feel Lexi keeping a close eye on her. She shook off her nerves meeting up with Jane. They perused the selections before deciding on a few treats and making their way out. Lydia noticed Raven just before their shoulders collided. She knew it was deliberate but remembered what Lucas had said about royal relations. Lydia just smiled worrying, “Oh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know you were blind. I’ll make sure to give you some space.”  
Raven’s face puckered like a shriveled mushroom but she didn’t say anything in return as she stomped off. As the door closed behind her Jane giggled, “I thought she was going to kill you.”  
“Eh, she can’t,” Lydia teased as they walked, “Lucas would raise hell. Did you see her face? I think if she tensed up any more she’d have imploded. I could hear the clenching.” Jane laughed and she added, “Does everyone bother her or is it just me?”  
“Raven has a rod of gold up her ass,” Jane rolled her eyes.  
“Oo,” Lydia smiled, “I think that is the first mean thing I’ve heard you say. Gimme more.”  
“She thinks she’s special because Corbin gives her barely any attention,” Jane shook her head, “She thinks everyone is below her and if you’re below her, you should grovel at her feet. I can’t imagine what she says about you and Lucas behind closed doors.”  
“What do you mean?” Lydia asked.  
“What do you mean?” Jane blinked, “Do you not read?” the realization dawned on her, “Holy shit, you’re first generation. Do you even know how to get a newspaper? Do you know about the magazines and papers?”  
“I mean,” Lydia shrugged, “I guess it makes sense they exist, but no one has mentioned it. Why? Is Lucas in them or something?”  
“You two have been all over the papers for like a month now,” Jane squealed as they reached the door, “I guess someone from another class took a picture of you two. After that it was like whatever unspoken rule everyone was following at school vanished. You guys are everywhere. He hasn’t mentioned it?”  
“No,” Lydia gawked hurrying inside with her, “Do you have any?”  
“Do I have any?” Jane scoffed setting the food down on the coffee table, “My only friend is in the papers and you think I didn’t get them. I have a bunch of them. There are some funny quizzes in them. Get comfortable.”  
Lydia complied as Jane scurried over to a closet. Lydia picked up a remote and turned on some sitcom as she returned explaining, “Let’s see. I’ve got a couple of issues of Myth Monthly. I’ve got Cosmos going back years. VL, Vampire Life, it’s utter trash. Soul digest. Oh, and a couple newspapers, Aurora Morning and Valkyrie Herald.”  
“All of those wrote articles about us?” Lydia balked at the stack she set down.  
“For multiple issues,” Jane nodded, “How did he never tell you about this?”  
“Maybe he didn’t want to freak me out,” Lydia shrugged starting to look through the tabloid covers smattered with her’s and Lucas’s pictures.” She picked one up blinking, “This one has a quiz? ‘Are you a Lydia, a Misty, or a Sirena?’ What the hell does that mean?”  
“Two of his exes,” Jane explained sitting down to sort out the best ones, “I think there’s an article that gives a bit of a recap on the two of them. Hang on.”  
“Speak of the devil,” Lydia scoffed glancing at her phone noticing his text, “Should I tell him?”  
“Definitely,” she encouraged.  
“Doing fine,” Lydia read as she texted, “Cafeteria was a bust as usual. I’m about to find out if I’m a Lydia, a Misty, or a Sirena. What’s your vote?”  
“You kill me,” Jane cackled finding the magazine she was looking for and handing it to her, “Here! This is the one with the bios on all of you.”  
Lydia’s phone buzzed and she read, “‘Shit. I’m sorry babe, I didn’t want you to worry. It’s all trash anyway.’”  
“Ooo,” Jane scowled, “Definitely not good enough.”  
“Oh, come on,” Lydia smiled, “He’s probably freaking out.”  
“I’d make him sweat,” Jane shrugged picking up a magazine.  
“I thought as much,” She read as she typed, “I’m very excited to learn all my secrets from people I don’t know.”  
Jane giggled flipping through her magazine. Lydia skimmed the article pleasantly surprised that they really didn’t know anything about her. They knew her name, she was a necromancer, all together not hard to find out. The pictures were a little unnerving, there were several from when she and Lucas had gone out on dates, but there were also some from her classes that looked like they were from a phone. It creeped her out a little that her classmates were budding paperazzi.   
The magazine Jane handed her was surprisingly full of more information about the quiz she was dreading. Misty was apparently his first public girlfriend, she was a vampire girl. Lydia now realized how Lucas knew so much about vampire politics. They were a summer fling but despite ending with the summer she had launched quite a little instagram career off the publicity.   
The other girl actually made Lydia a little insecure. Sirena was a princess. She was from a Wiccan clan and the sister to the king. She learned Lucas and the king were childhood friends which just made her feel worse. The pictures of Sirena she saw were stunning. She was slightly younger than Lucas and Lydia, looked like a model, and was a known philanthropist. The more she read the more speculation she saw about whether she and Lucas were actually broken up.  
“Uh-oh,” Jane frowned noticing the hole Lydia was trying to chew into her lip, “What don’t you like?”  
“It’s just this Sirena girl,” Lydia worried, “She’s a princess, and beautiful, and there’s a lot of speculation they never broke up.”  
“Oh please,” Jane shook her head, “If you were the side girl he wouldn’t have defended you in front of Raven, Corbin definitely wouldn’t have apologised. I don’t know Sirena always looks like she’s trying to spot something on the end of her nose to me.”  
“I don’t see them describing her as,” Lydia frowned flipping to her bio, “Homely, adorkably clumsy, and a healthy eater. She is like the epitome of sophistication and beauty.”  
“Oh screw them,” Jane scowelled, “I bet you five bucks I can find at least three articles that go on about your eyes for at least a paragraph. Besides, Sirena has like an army of publicists and beauticians to wedge her into every uncomfortable dress they love. None of that is her at all.”  
“Must be nice.”  
“Text Lucas, see what he says.”  
“How do I just bring up the fact his maybe ex is making me insanely self conscious without looking pathetic,” Lydia groaned flopping on the couch.   
“I’ll do it,” Jane teased taking her phone, “Who’s this bitch Sirena?”  
“No!” Lydia scolded.  
“Right,” Jane sighed, “too aggressive, sorry living a little vicariously. How about this? Sirena sounds amazing why didn’t it work out?” Lydia gave a half hearted grunt of approval. A moment later Jane squealed, “Oh, this is good. ‘They said Sirena was an ex? We never dated.’ Oh, shit now he’s spamming. He wants to call. He’s calling. Lyd!”  
“Fuck,” she grimmaced answering the phone on speaker hissing at Jane to be quiet, “Clumsy and Homely here, what’s up?”  
“What are you reading?” He asked sounding confused, “You home?”  
“No,” She sighed, “I’m at Jane’s. Just some trashy tabloid magazines. Sirena is impressive.”  
“Lydia,” he sighed, “She’s like a sister to me, Sebastian and I were thick as thieves growing up and that’s all. I knew there was some speculation about a year ago but I didn’t expect them to fabricate a whole narrative about us.”  
“She’s pretty,” Lydia admitted without fully delving into her insecurities.  
“Eww,” he swallowed, “I don’t really want that thought anywhere near my brain. Bash tried to ask me how to give her the talk and I pushed him through a bush. What was that about Homely earlier?”  
“That’s how they described me,” Lydia sighed, “Homely, adorkably clumsy, and a healthy eater.”  
“Oh fuck those twats,” He scowled.  
“That’s what I said!” Jane chimed in, “Sorry, Hi Lucas.”  
“Hey Jane,” he chuckled, “Can I convince you not to keep reading and not let those fuckers get into your head?”  
“But we haven’t even taken the quiz to see which of the would be princesses we are,” Jane whined playfully.  
“I already know,” Lucas replied, “one hundred percent Lydia, and the perfect match.”  
“You’re a cheese ball,” She pursed her lips trying not to smile at her phone.  
“But I’m your cheese ball,” He sang back, “Try to have some fun and not worry too much about it. I’ll try to see what I can do to get it under control.”  
“I don’t really care,” Lydia reassured him, “It comes with the territory, but the pictures of me in class are a little creepy.”  
“I’ll ask around,” He assured her, “Put the word out it’s a bad idea to do that.”  
“Don’t start a war.” She whined, “I can take the weird articles. Just maybe next time we go out we take control of it a little. I’m not sure I want a lot of attention but if it would be easier if I made a press release or talked to a couple I think I can manage.”  
“You don’t have to do that,” Lucas smiled, “But I appreciate it. We’ll figure something out.”  
“Thank you for calling,” She smiled at the phone, “I actually feel a lot better now.”  
“Love you.”  
“Love you too,” she replied ending the call.  
“You two are so fucking adorable,” Jane shook her head.  
“Okay,” Lydia sighed throwing her magazines onto the coffee table, “Enough about my relationship. Where the hell are your roommates?”  
“I don’t have any,” Jane shrugged, “I’m a social pariah, living with me is like painting a target on your back.”  
“Why because of Raven?” Lydia scoffed, “Fuck that bitch.”  
“It’s not just her,” Jane sighed, “She’s the ring leader but it’s been that way with every class of vampires to roll through the school doors. I’m defective.”  
“That’s bullshit.”  
“I don’t know,” Jane shrugged, “Obviously there was something my family didn’t like about me from birth. They dumped me here and have never reached out. I’m top of my class, I don’t think I’m half bad looking, my fangs are like fucking needles.” Lydia raised an eyebrow, “It’s a vampire thing, it’s supposed to be a sign of having pure blood. You’d think if someone was there maybe they’d…”  
“Family’s fucked up.” Lydia shook her head, “In my opinion they’re better off apart. They’re loss. How much does it kill Raven that you’re smarter than her?”  
“Probably a lot,” Jane sighed, “Can I tell you a secret?”  
“Of course.”  
“No, I mean a real secret,” Jane chewed on her lip, “really bad things could happen if this gets out.”  
“I’m not going to say anything.” Lydia assured her.  
“Corbin is actually pretty alright,” Jane struggled out, “When the others aren’t around.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, Not sure how many are reading this because I haven't tagged well. If you are enjoying this and know some tags I'm missing or suggestions for the story I really do enjoy hearing your thoughts.


End file.
